Until all of the people have given up on their New Year’s resolutions, I will be avoiding the gym. My decision not only saves me my sanity (waiting 20 minutes for a stationary bike or a treadmill does little to help me de-stress), but it also means that I will be working out without any electricity. 


With the current lack of rain in California and the unseasonably warm weather, my self exile from the gym has been incredibly pleasant. I never have to wait in line for anything, I can workout whenever I want, and it gives me a chance to be outside and take in my surroundings. 

I challenge you to beat the chaos of the gym and the stress of a new quarter/semester/year by taking your fitness routine outside. If you need a little bit of inspiration for your outdoor adventures, you can explore this. See you outside.

I am so incredibly tired of people asking me how I get enough protein as a vegetarian. Everyone in the U.S. seems to assume that you need to eat meat to be healthy and fit. Even with the ever growing list of world class athletes and trainers who are completely vegan, including Venus Williams, Bob Harper, and Scott Jurek.


With millions of Americans vowing to lose weight and get in shape with the new year, knowing how to fuel your body is an important part. More and more information has been coming out lately about how being vegetarian or vegan is not only good for you, but can also help you meet your physical goals. 


A few days ago the New York Times posted an article,”Sculptured by Weights and a Strict Vegan Diet,” about a body builder that has won championships, and also happens to be vegan. 

“[Veganism] has even entered bodybuilding, perceived by many as a population of vein-popping men and women thriving off meat and artificial enhancements. Competitors like Sitko are forging a distinctive subculture of antibeef beefcakes who hope to change more of their competitors’ eating habits.”

With many people deciding to become vegan for countless different reasons, including health, animal rights, or sustainability, there are great resources online for recipes or even support. 


Although I truly admire those who have gone completely vegan, with all of my food allergies I am not willing to completely commit. I am mostly vegan already. The only things I still sometimes eat are eggs and butter.  But this year I will become more aware of vegan options and see what I can do. 

This week has been absolutely brutal. Between midterms, group projects, the constant onslaught of interviews and writing for the paper and for class, and trying to find time to sleep, I unfortunately had time for little time for anything else.

But out of this disaster of a week I got a gem — my first byline. What was not only the most fun I had all week, the San Jose Bike Party was also the best research I have ever had to do for school. Check out my story!

San Jose’s Rolling Party

Riders decorated and lit up their bikes, blasted their music on speakers attached to their bikes or on a trailer towed behind them and dressed up as angels and demons in honor of the “Rapture” themed San Jose Bike Party on Friday night.

The San Jose Bike Party is a community bike ride organized and run by volunteers. On the third Friday of every month, people gather to ride their bikes around San Jose in different routes of about 20-30 miles with two stops along the way. The event draws people from all around the Bay Area, including Santa Clara students.

More than 4,000 people, many in costumes, hit the San Jose streets with their bikes in celebration of the ride’s fourth anniversary on Friday night. Their shouts of “Bike Party” and cheering echoed through the neighborhoods along the route.

“I like the energy,” said freshman Karina Soto, a San Jose native who participated in the Bike Party for her eighth time on Friday night. “(The Bike Party) is a lot of fun and everyone is really open and having a good time.”

To continue the story go to The Santa Clara  or pick up the paper on campus.

It’s the third Friday of the month and thousands of Bay Area residents are gearing up to make their way to the San Jose Bike Party. Today’s theme is “The Rapture” in honor of the potential end of the world tonight. They have asked everyone to dress up as angels and demons in case the prediction yet again does not come true and Harold Camping needs some help saving face.

If you are an avid cyclist or just want to have a good time with a few thousand other people you should come out tonight and ride with us. For more information check out SJ Bike Party.

I have to admit, I am a hypocrite. When I first saw Vibram 5 Fingers at work, I made fun of my coworker relentlessly for having “monkey feet.” He kept telling me how amazing they were, and I ignored him and made jokes instead.

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Last night Governor Jerry Brown signed the Toxin-Free Infants and Toddlers Act into law which will ban BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups in California. This is a key step in decreasing young children’s exposure to the hormone disrupting chemical.

“Governor Brown has put the interests of California’s children first in the face of intense lobbying by the chemical industry desperately trying to defend their use of this hazardous chemical in the products of our most vulnerable,” said Renee Sharp, head of the Environmental Working Group’s California office on their website this morning.

Even though BPA has not been banned from all food products, (such as water bottles, aluminum can liners, or even cash register receipts) this is still a key step that moves us toward the larger goal of a complete ban of the chemical. It is also important to begin with those who are the most vulnerable to the affects of BPA which are infants and toddlers. Ultimately the law that will go into effect on July 1, 2013, proved that with enough support we can stand up to big industries and their forceful lobbying.

Every time I hear someone complain about how expensive organic produce is or say how they don’t see a difference anyways, I wonder how much they really know about pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, and all of the other horrendous things we do to our food.

In what we eat:

Foods that are treated with pesticides carry the residues and easily make their ways into our bodies. Because pesticides are applied directly to the foods, the fruit, vegetable, grain, ect. can absorb the chemical(s) through the soil, the water, and sometimes even itself. This means that not all of the residue is able to be washed off, and we often ingest them.

In the United States alone, about 800 million pounds of pesticides are used every year in our agriculture industry.

Pesticides have worked their way into all of our foods, even in those who are the most important to protect, young children. Baby food was tested by the Environmental Working Group and was found to contain pesticides. Their report states that:

“Sixteen pesticides were detected in the 8 baby foods tested, including three probable human carcinogens, five possible human carcinogens, eight neurotoxins, five pesticides that disrupt the normal functioning of the hormone system, and five pesticides that are categorized as oral toxicity category one, the most toxic designation.”

Effects on the environment

Long after pesticides have stopped being used they are found in the environment (including the soil, other plants, and water). DDT is an excellent example of this. DDT  (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) is an insecticide that began being used worldwide in 1946 to increase agricultural production and to protect people from diseases carried by insects. DDT was banned in 1972, and yet it is still being found in water sources, the soil, foods, and even in us. Mothers pass DDT on to their children, and it bioaccumulates over generations.

We are creating “super bugs” that can withstand our pesticides. We are killing off all of the bugs that can be killed with the pesticides while the rest who are naturally immune mate until they are the majority of the species. This only leads to the constant need to produce more powerful (and considerably more dangerous and toxic) pesticides.

We ingest pesticides even when we are not eating food through our drinking water.

After looking over the dirty dozen, this list should help make it easier to shop for foods that are safer for your health and the environment, especially if you cannot afford to eat only organic fruits and vegetables. The clean 15 are the 15 fruits and vegetables that are the most likely to have the least amount of pesticide residue.

1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms